Chapter 3 Arlyn - Visions and Boys

Arlyn watched as the stone skipped across the dark water, splish splish kathunk. She had just started high school this year and it was going...different than she'd expected. Most people tended to avoid her because she couldn't keep her stupid mouth shut, labeling her a freak. The only friend she had was Jen, who never seemed to mind when Arlyn said weird things. She guessed Ryan could be counted among her friends, but he was a junior and had other things on his mind. But people didn't look at her like she was crazy anymore and she didn't know why.

She walked back over to the fire pit where her brother was roasting a marshmallow.

"Ryan," he probably didn't know the answer, but she had to ask anyway.
"Yeah?" he replied, taking a bite of his burnt marshmallow.
"Do you know why....people are....nicer to me?"
Ryan gulped, the marshmallow nearly choking him, "Uh just...because.." he sputtered.
"Because what?" Arlyn tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She didn't know what to make of the strange look on his face.
"Because...well...you, uh...you....got...taller." Ryan looked away, he really, really didn't want to finish this conversation. He'd heard the things people were saying about his sister, and they were all things he desperately didn't want to think about.
"They're nicer because I got taller?" Arlyn squinted her eyes at Ryan, trying to force him to talk. She could see the future, not read minds.
"Arlyn...just...they're nice to you because you're pretty, okay? I mean, that's what they all say, I don't really agree with them though." Arlyn threw a stick at him. Her? Pretty?
"I don't get it."
"What's not to get? You're pretty so your freakishness because a cute quirk. That's just how things are." He picked some dirt from under his fingernails. It wasn't fair, but it was true. If she had grown up to be average looking, or even ugly, her weird habits might not be viewed so forgivingly. He supposed she was lucky in that regard. At least he wouldn't have to punch people for making fun of her, instead he'd have to punch people for hitting on her.

"That's really stupid." She said after thinking over what Ryan had said for a few moments. "Who cares what I look like anyway."
"A lot of people care." was his grumbled response. He stood up then, "I'm going home. You coming?" He headed for the street.
"Nah, I'll stay for a bit longer, it's a nice night."
"Don't stay for too long or mom will be mad,"
"I won't."

Arlyn sat alone for a bit, thinking things over. She really didn't understand how her appearance would so suddenly change peoples' approach to her, but at least no one threw rotten eggs in her hair anymore. Ryan didn't know about that. If he did, she was sure all the men in her family would have scared the snot out of the kids who were responsible. It wasn't long before she was joined by the man who had been swimming nearby, probably ready to warm up by the fire.

She offered the man the bag of marshmallows and they both roasted them in the silence. That familiar, warm feeling washed over her, clouding her mind; a vision was appearing. The man. A woman. Sadness. Happiness. A baby. The visions were coming more often lately, sometimes she could even have one on demand.

"She's pregnant." Arlyn announced.
"Excuse me?" the man stared at her, a confused look on his face.
"The woman you've been seeing. She's pregnant. Ask her to marry you, she'll say yes." She turned the marshmallow over.
"How..?"
"I just know. Ask her, really. She'll say yes. She loves you." Arlyn took a bite out of her marshmallow.
The man stood up, dropping his stick, "What the hell are you on about?" He quickly got dressed, eager to get away from this weird girl. How the hell did she know anything about him?

Arlyn placed a hand on his shoulder and gently turned him to look at her, "I saw it, in a vision. You have a beautiful wedding. She cries, her parents are proud. Your son is born, healthy and happy. Your parents are just happy to see a grandchild before they die."
The man stared at Arlyn for awhile, letting her words sink in. She was telling him everything he'd ever wanted to hear. Olga had been distant lately, he thought she was going to break things off. Pregnant??
"Thank you," he whispered before heading home, a dreamy look on his face.

Arlyn looked at the time, shit, it's late, mom's gonna be mad.

Arlyn felt a chilly presence as she flew by on her hoverboard, saw the ghosts as they floated down the street, but didn't recognize who they were. The ghosts gave a little wave as Arlyn passed them, a knowing smile on their pale lips.

Evelyn felt like time was rushing by her, the years seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye. She had steady work, her kids were growing up beautifully, her husband still doted on her hand and foot. She was happy with her life, but time wasn't on her side. She had so much more she wanted to accomplish, but the older she got, the more she slowed down. Maybe this was for the best, she thought. She'd already done so much, what could ever top inventing a time machine? She sighed, pushing her glasses up, a still unfamiliar feeling on her face. She'd gotten them a few years ago, when she started straining to see smaller items.

Her children seemed relatively unaffected by their time traveling, except Arlyn seemed to have developed a strange but otherwise harmless side effect: she could see the future. It was no secret, not anymore. There were too many strange occurrences for Evelyn to brush it off. She made a brief visit to Cyrene, much to everyone's delight, and put her time machine to use. She didn't think it had much life left in it, it seemed it had limited uses. She went to visit Emit, to ask him about Arlyn. He'd reassured her, saying it wasn't surprising that there were some lingering side effects, Arlyn was just more affected than the others, having been so young, her mind impressionable. He promised Evelyn that nothing serious would happen to Arlyn. Satisfied, Evelyn said hello to her descendants before leaving Oasis for the last time: the time machine went quiet, the lights shutting off as soon as she stepped out of it. She was alright with this, she was content here in the present.

____

Arlyn had met a boy. More specifically, she met a boy that she liked. His name was Jonas and he was the hottest boy in school. And he was in her house!
She couldn't help but stare at his crystal blue eyes and his soft blonde hair and his muscled chest. He was saying something to her, but she was so lost in his eyes that she hadn't heard him.
"Sorry, what?"
"I asked if you wanted to um...go out with me sometime. Like, on a date?"
"What."
He shifted nervously, "A date. With me? To the theme park...if you want to, I mean. You don't have to..."
Arlyn stood there with her mouth hanging open.
"Me?" Her?!
"Yeah...you know, if you want to."
"Of course I do!! I mean...yes. That sounds like fun!"
Jonas grabbed her hands, "Great! I can't wait. How does Saturday sound?"
"That sounds perfect."
"You don't look...very happy about this, Arlyn." She actually looked downright upset. Jonas was having second thoughts about asking her out, he'd heard the rumors.

And she was scowling, but not at Jonas.
"What, no, I most definitely am! I just, I wasn't expecting this. Like, at all. Ever. Like...I'm pretty sure I'm asleep right now and I'll wake up at any second." Jonas laughed, her heart skipped a beat.
"Yeah, I guess I did just kinda show up here, but I was just walking by and thought, you know what, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna ask Arlyn out right now. And I marched up to your door and knocked before I could chicken out."
"I don't think we've ever even talked before..." she tried to think of a time where they'd said more than hello to each other in passing, but was drawing a blank.
"I guess we should start then!"
And that's how Arlyn had her very first date. Out of the blue, unexpected, surprising. Just like the date.

For the next few days, Arlyn couldn't contain herself. She was bursting with excitement. She kept getting the beginnings of a vision, but she really didn't want spoilers for this, and would push them away. She wanted to experience everything for the first time as it happened.

Arlyn had told Jen about Jonas showing up on her doorstep to ask her out, and Jen proceeded to tell Karl, who told his girlfriend, Linn, who told the entire school. By Friday, even Jonas had heard about it. Arlyn was on cloud nine.

"Hi," Arlyn greeted Jonas then awkwardly hugged him.
"Hey there," he hugged her back but it was stiff.
Trying to break the ice, Arlyn asked him what he wanted to do first, ride the roller coaster or play some games.
"Whatever you wanna do, I guess." he said cooly.
"Oh, okay...let's try a roller coaster, I've never been on one before!" she tried to muster up some excitement from him, but he didn't really seem to want to be here. Arlyn wondered what she had done wrong, maybe she should have had that vision after all...

They waited in stony silence while in line for the first ride, Arlyn fidgeting a lot, Jonas idly checking his phone. Even when they got on the ride, he didn't seem all that enthusiastic. She looked over at him, wanted to ask what was wrong, but before she knew it, they were going up up up.

Although Jonas's hand were up in the air, he had a worried look on his face, not that Arlyn noticed, because she wore the same expression. Oh man, they were really high up!

Seconds later they were flying threw the air and neither one of them could contain themselves! Despite Jonas's reservations, this was really fun!

After they crash landed, getting soaked in the process, Arlyn immediately pulled Jonas to the next ride. He didn't protest.

Soon enough, it was over, leaving Arlyn panting for breath. Her adrenaline was through the roof!

Riding that adrenaline high, she looked over at Jonas. He was so handsome.
"Hey Jonas, are you okay?" she asked him.
"Yeah, why?"
"I dunno, you seemed...weird earlier." She thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest.
"Sorry, I just, I uh...I guess I was nervous." He brushed a speck of dirt off his pants, trying not to look at Arlyn. She was so beautiful.
In that moment, Arlyn decided she had to kiss him,

He stepped back, holding his hands out to stop her.
Arlyn, shocked, took a few steps back as well. "Oh..I'm sorry, I don't...I don't know what came over me. Sorry.." She looked at her feet, ashamed.
"It's fine. I'm gonna go. The rides were fun." He turned to leave, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" She asked. He didn't respond.

On her way home, Arlyn cried. She didn't understand what had just happened. He had asked her out! Was it some sort of dare? Oh god. Oh no. Someone dared him to ask her out. 'Ask the freak out, Jonas, haha! That'll be so funny!' Arlyn cried even harder.



On the other side of town, Silas was heading to his own date!

Shannon Law called him up to ask him out yesterday! He was unsure at first but Evelyn had convinced him to go. Shannon had invited him out to the gym, a strange choice for a first date, but Silas headed over there anyway. It was a long walk and he was slow.

So slow, in fact, that she texted him to let him know that she was leaving. Maybe another time?

Silas turned around and headed back home.